In this (kind of long) post I address questions raised by Todd Moody and
Sandy Rzetelny concerning thyroid and body temperature.

Todd:

Your temp is very low, and your several symptoms (including hair) are
confirming.  For a more complete list of symptoms go to:

http://thyroid.about.com/health/thyroid/library/weekly/aa072500a.htm

Read the lead article there on the inadequacy of the TSH test, as well as
the other common lab tests (none of which have been clinically or
scientifically proven to be reliable, only chosen by consensus, i.e. vote),
which article also discusses the importance of symptomology.

When you finish that article, go to the menu and choose "Hypothyroidism",
when that page is open choose "Hypothyroidism symptoms checklist".  You can
then find out how many symptoms you have, using the most conservative guides
(The Merck Manual, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists,
and The Thyroid Association of America).
>
> How does this relate to my son's developmental issues?

Thyroid hormones regulate growth and development, and especially have an
impact on the nervous system.  This is from page 280 of "Introduction to the
Human Body", a standard anatomy and physiology textbook by Gerard Tortora:

"Thyroid hormones help regulate tissure growth and development, especially
in children. ...Deficiency of thyroid hormones during fetal development
results in fewer and smaller neurons, defective myelination of axons, and
mental retardation.....Finally, thyroid hormones increase the reactivity of
the nervous system."

[As an aside, note the reference to "defective myelination of axons",
suggesting a link between thyroid insufficiency and multiple sclerosis-DM]

But more to the point, hypothyroid individuals usually will choose
hypothyroid mates for marriage, because the energy level is similar
(hypothyroids and healthy thyroids are not very compatible, the latter is
more energetic, active and warm and likes to go out and about, while the
former is more inertial and cold and likes to stay in, stay warm,  and
rest).   So when two hypothyroids mate, they naturally produce hypothyroid
offspring--and often the offspring is more hypo than the parents, especially
if the diet was on the SAD or veg side.

So  your son is probably hypothyroid, maybe not detectable by blood tests
but if you go by signs, symptoms and basal temp, I'll bet you find it.  Just
be aware that the signs and symptoms may be mild, because he is young.  When
young, the hypothyroid may appear primarily as a personality type:  quiet,
slow thought processes, slow movements,  more inclined to sedentary than to
physical occupations, disliking cold.
>
> Finally, since most of these problems have appeared or worsened
> since starting paleo, is it possible that the diet is causing or
> aggravating the thyroid problem, if that's what it is?

IMO this is unlikely.  Paleo should improve it, compared to SAD and
especially compared to vegetarian regimes, because paleo eliminates the
strongest thyroid suppressant foods, polyunsaturated oils, grains and
legumes (phytoestrogens are anti-thyroid, and in all grains and legumes).
The changes you have noted are probably not due to the diet, but to aging
(glandular function commonly declines with age) combined with excess body
fat levels--because fat cells produce estrogen, and estrogens suppress
thyroid hormone function.

On the other hand, even on paleo, if you eat too many nuts and seeds, you
might also suppress thyroid, because these also are rich in both
phytoestrogens and polyunsaturates.

[BTW, If you have any experience with non-hybrid or wild nuts, you would see
that nuts and seeds would have played only a very small role, if any, in
human diets in paleo times.  Heck, even just 100 years ago, the shells on
most nuts were so thick, and the nuts inside so small, that even with a
modern nutcracker (not had by paleo man), the calories expended in gathering
and opening them, which more often than not resulted in an inedible mix of
shell and crushed nut meat, were probably not replaced by eating the nuts.]

> PS Since this is off-topic, I am willing to take it off the list,
> if anyone is bothered by it.

I think this topic can benefit many on this list, so unless asked to stop,
I'm going ahead.

Sandy Rzetelny <[log in to unmask]> asked:

> Sorry I am coming into this discussion late. Are you discussing underarm temp
> readings or oral?

I use oral and suggest that others also use oral.

Don